124. Ela foi embora de si mesma

To escape an alcoholic father, Hortência married a man at just 16 years old. The marriage wasn’t great to begin with, but things got worse when her husband moved to the United States, promising to send money back to Brazil — which he never did. Left alone in Brazil with her daughters, she studied, went from being a cleaner to a nurse, and little by little began to build a life for herself — until she met Saulo. In just a few days, Saulo became the love of her life, but fate had other plans for the two of them. Heartbroken and struggling with depression, Hortência decided — at the age of 56 — to start over in California, a dream she’d had since she was a little girl but had never made come true. ** Are you an immigrant with a story to tell? Then send it to us. WhatsApp: +1 650 834 9209 Instagram: @historiadeimigrante Email: [email protected]